


The Future

by e_llle



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, M/M, YunJoong, but i kinda like hongho ?, but its kinda dead earth yk, but like theyre on earth, cuz humans goofed it up, lol this was for a creative writing class, not that great, whats the ship name lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:15:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27357130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/e_llle/pseuds/e_llle
Summary: "This is it, we're in the Smoke, Joongie," calling his friend by a nickname he had used for years, Yunho looks out at the sea, remembering his now old home."Yeah, we're really here, Yunho,"In which Hongjoong and Yunho have to survive in the Smoke, or as you all know it, Earth.
Relationships: Jeong Yunho/Kim Hongjoong
Kudos: 7





	The Future

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this for a creative writing assignment lol. this is my first post on ao3 so cut me some slack pls. but do comment and kudos cuz i crave validation lmao. i'm always open to constructive criticism !! idk if i should make this a oneshot series, like different scenarios that happen to Yunho and Hongjoong in the Smoke (not necessarily in order yk) but if y'all have any ideas feel free to comment them !

Pushed to be edge of the city, Yunho stood with his bestfriend of nine years, Hongjoong. With a small pack of food, clothing, and a few other things in hand, the administrators told the boys to leave the water. They had failed the Program and now they must leave their home to The Smoke. Their parents weren't there for the send off, parents weren't allowed to. They would have to wait for the dreaded knock at their door to receive the news of their children's departure. 

Thirty years ago, the world ended. The waters had risen significantly due to global warming, the ignorance of human civilization causing the disaster. The little land that was left was burning, a raging fire spread across it. Smoke had built up and choked the sky of all light until it was nearly impossible to see through it, that's how the overworld got its name.

Most people had to move and adapt to life underwater, so through the generations they developed gills near their ribs and had webbed feet as well as hands. They all had to get accustomed to aquatic life. A few hundred people left to space to live on the moon with the invention of a device that allowed one to breathe in outer space. No one has heard from them since and nobody knows if there is still anyone out there anymore.

Even though the oceans were vast, they weren't large enough to home all, so the people (more so the rich) came up with a solution to this overpopulation:

The Program.

Every year, the rich chose teens from age 18 to 19 to take part in the three mandatory exams of the Program. The first is a physical assessment, to see if they are fit enough to stay in the water. The second was a test of intelligence. The third was by far the most difficult and brutal exam. You had to spar another participant to pass. Anyone who failed the Program was exiled to The Smoke.

So it was just Yunho and Hongjoong's luck that they failed the Program and now they must accept their fate and leave their home. Shouldering the one small pack given to them, Yunho pushes himself off the sea cliff edge and upwards, swimming towards the surface, Hongjoong not far behind.

Breaking the surface of the water, both boys look at the land before them, well, what little they can make out. Smoke covered most of the land in front of them. They both could feel the heat and smell the smoke not far from them. They swam to the shore and clambered on the hardened soil.

"This is it, we're in The Smoke, Joongie," calling his friend by a nickname he had used for years, Yunho looks out at the sea, remembering his now old home.

Yunho was born in Seaweed City, the poor side of the sea. Complexes were rundown and overcrowded. People wore outdated wetsuits engineered to improve their swimming speed as the rich get the latest versions. Because the City was so overpopulated, there weren't enough doctors or specialists for all the citizens there.

Some people in the City had mutated body parts. They were unfortunate enough to have parents that tried the new invention, the genetic modifier on them when they were in the womb. But since it wasn't the same modifier as the one in the richer side of the sea, it wasn't built the same way, so most babies ended up mutated.

"Yeah, we're really here, Yunho,"

Hongjoong glanced over at the other male who was lost in thought. He then let himself drift into his own thoughts. He recalled his time in the rich city, known as Pearl Plaza, when he was younger. All the buildings were pristine and gleamed in the light that shone through the water. Only the elite rich lived there, which was less than half the entire population. There was more space and access to necessities as well as luxuries. Some people did so much as clone a pet, and with the invention of the cloning machine, it became the new craze.

The people didn't learn their lesson from three decades ago and began to pollute the very water they lived in. To combat that, a water filtration system had been invented to keep the waters clean.

One of the places in Pearl Plaza Hongjoong remembered vividly, was the Plaza Square. It had an abstract statue made of pearl in the center, built by the first people to live underwater. Beautiful coral surrounded the statue, creating a very aesthetic scenery. Luan was once one of the children who played in the Square, chasing each other around and laughing, carefree.

But Hongjoong didn't stay in Pearl Plaza for long. When he turned ten, his family went bankrupt and were sent to Seaweed City where he met Yunho. They stuck together for nine years, almost a decade.

"Alright, let's find somewhere to stay for the night," Hongjoong started, standing and reaching his hand out for his friend to take.

Yunho silently took his hand and allowed Hongjoong to drag him farther in land. They both had to readjust and get used to breathing the through their noses, since they had never done it before in their lives.

The Smoke was barren, with a few caves and small hills every so often. Hongjoong scanned the surrounding area for a place to stay. He spotted a large enough caved and headed towards it, bringing Yunho with him.

"Hey, I found this ca-"

Yunho jolted to the side as Hongjoong was ripped out of his hand. One of the feared Smoke Beasts had appeared out of seemingly no where and decided Hongjoong was his next meal.

The monster stood on all fours, long claws scratching the ground it stood on. Prickly fur grew from its body, short and matted, coated in smoke. Large fangs gripped Hongjoong, cutting into his skin. Saliva dripped from the beast's mouth, falling into a small puddle on the ground beneath it.

Yunho froze. How was he going to get his friend out of the monster's grasp? The beast starts to drag Yunho's friend away when he musters up the courage to strike it with an anchor he had brought with him. Apparently the beast was quite weak as it whimpered in pain and dropped to the floor, letting go of Hongjoong as well.

Yunho rushed to pick up his friend and carried him the rest of the way to the cave, Hongjoong sniffling, trying to quiet his cries. Yunho's heart squeezed at the sound, he hated seeing someone so close to him cry. Entering the cave, Yunho gently sat on the ground, still cradling Hongjoong in his arms. He held Hongjoong close, brushing a hand through his hair, trying to calm down the shaking male.

"We're okay, it's okay. I won't leave, Joongie. We're in this together, yea?"

It would take a while, but the two had to survive in The Smoke, years after the end of the world.


End file.
